A Different Halloween

This year Koen has been struggling with fear. Some of it is just the natural, age-appropriate fears, anxieties, etc. that he is prone to due to his sensitive nature, but part of it Doug and I believe is due to the break-in a few weeks ago. Because of these fears he has "bad dreams" many nights. Now, I'm wise enough to know that some of these "bad dreams" are more a way to manipulate bedtime to a later hour, but I also can tell when they are genuine, and those real bad dreams have been occurring more frequently this Fall. With Halloween approaching I did not want to deal with an increase in these bad dreams due to Koen seeing the many scary costumes we usually witness while passing out candy and visiting neighbors. He is just very image sensitive and I really don't care to deal with more interruptions when I'm tired and ready to be done mommying for the day! So, we created our own fun night (a great idea from Daddy - see, I gave you props, honey). We had a popcorn/snacky dinner/movie party! Koen was so excited. Here he is decked out in the cute pumpkin buckets our neighbors gave the boys yesterday full of treats.
Here's the snacky dinner I prepared...apple slices, red pepper spears, cheese slices, popcorn and pretzels. And of course, a Thomas DVD to watch.

Look at the cozy layout. It was Koen's idea to pull the couch out. Sure, why not?
"Cheese" say the boys (look how Koen's eyeing up the dinner and Tav's trying to get the other pumpkin bucket on his head like brother had it before).
And here they are totally into the wheeshing, whooshing Thomas story. Tav's usually not that into TV, but he loved the trains tonight and because he was hungry, he was content to sit and snack while big brother had a blast.
It was a complete success. We had no one knock on our door (which is why we partied upstairs and not down), the boys loved their special time, especially Koen. And I enjoyed the chill-out status of the night watching a Thomas DVD and snacking myself! Happy Halloween. Whew, it's over, now onto the fun holidays...Thanksgiving and Christmas!!

Go Dogs Go!

Koen is very interested in learning to read. He feels very proud when he can recite something to his brother acting as if he is actually reading. Here he is reading to Tavin after their nice long naps this afternoon.

Jack Be Nimble Jack Be Quick

Well, after quite a 36 hours of stress, contemplating, trying out the whole dog thing and getting to know Jack and seeing how he worked with us, we decided to return him today. It's for the best for him and us. He was definitely not the right dog for us (although a very sweet animal certainly) and along with that this weekend was a intense taste of what it's like to have a dog and two kids in an urban environment where our home is our respite and a welcoming place to many friends and neighbors. Jack's energy level, timidity (I was looking for a dog that would alert me, not hide) and jumpiness with the boys just led us quickly to know he wasn't a good fit. I think he needed more space to run around than we have. We actually got to pass him off to another person who wanted to adopt him and they had a lab already as well. Jack was so excited about the other dog, he was happy, smiling, interested in the dog and wasn't timid at all around the new owner. It was such a good way to end our brief time having the dog, seeing him happy and going to a great dog-friendly home. Jack nimbly walked into our lives on Friday and quickly walked out on Sunday, but we are thankful for the experience. We learned a lot about what we would need in a dog and that actually we aren't sure we can actually have a dog right now. Thanks, Jack. We hope all the best for you in your new home!

First Snow!

Today we woke up to snow!! Doug was so excited to show Koen the snow this morning. Doug is our resident meteorologist. Koen is his understudy. Tavin was really surprised. He kept sniffing at the window.Oh yeah, did you remember we have a dog with us? Jack was a happy boy with us this morning. We are still figuring him out. Not sure if he will stick around with us, but it's been an educational experience certainly.Jack joined us on a walk after Doug left for work. I had my hands full, but we all benefited from the fresh air and exercise. Tavin dragged the wagon all the way around the block. He was determined. So cute. Look at the little eskimo.

Meet Jack

Like I mentioned in my last post, we had some different family night plans this evening. We actually got the boys up early from their naps (Koen didn't sleep today, so no big deal, but Tav was out cold of course the day we needed to go somewhere). We sat in rush hour traffic for over an hour to go look at a dog to add to our family. Interesting concept to see a dog online, visit it at its current home and then end up taking it home with you. The family that owned the dog was so sweet and very informative about the dog. Thankfully they had toddler age kids so we know the dog is reliable around young ones. Everything else we were told about the dog sounds good too as well as what we observed, so hopefully this turns out to be the family dog (and a little extra added security/comfort for me) we were hoping and praying for.

Here's Jack and the boys in the back on the way home...Jack checking out his new home here. He's definitely been excited tonight, but not in a crazy way, so hopefully after he gets used to the exciting buzz of the city and all the scents and sounds of his new home he will chill out.Doug gave him some attention and love on the carpet for some bonding time.And here's a sweet picture after he settled down and watched a little baseball (Doug is so into the World Series, looks like he may have found another fan of the game).Well, I'm sure there will be many posts to come about Jack and his progress getting used to our family. We'll see how this goes!

Tag-Along Tavin

This morning we had our scheduled pack to make use of our time while Koen was at nursery school. To start it off, I had a dentist appointment in Squirrel Hill at 8am (which I walked the 2+ miles to in the 30 degree weather) so Doug was responsible for getting the boys out of the house and Koen to nursery school. I did help him out with preparing breakfast, but he really did everything else. My only request was that he give thought to their outfits (they tend to be quite odd when Doug is in charge). He thought he did an awesome job. What do you think? May I point out that Koen is in too short skinny corduroys (which I've never liked), ankle socks, a flannel shirt and a Christmas sweater. Tav's outfit is OK. They both look happy though, so that's all that matters I guess.After dropping Koen off, Doug and Tavin picked me up on the curb in Squirrel Hill and we drove out to our first Kindergarten option visit! Very exciting!!We were told it was best to go without Koen so he doesn't get attached to one of the places we check out and then we don't decide to go with it. We were nervous about it, wondering if we would ask enough questions, feel comfortable with the surroundings, etc. Well, it was a great success. It's a lovely school, we asked good questions and got helpful answers and we have some follow-ups to chat about and think over. Tavin was happy with the tour because I brought him his favorite van, a banana and raisins. Not too mention he had our undivided attention and lots of "cute" compliments from the school staff.Next, we headed to a quick tour of car dealerships. Our car is on its last leg. I'm hoping we can squeak out a few more months, but Doug's not so confident. We have a few vehicle models in mind, but hadn't really seen them inside, so we thought it would be good to check them out. Tavin was a trooper. He brought his van and drove it on the tires and the running boards of the vehicles near the ones we were looking at entertaining himself. Here he is checking out the cargo space.There was a car transporter at one lot. That was very exciting. We watched that for several minutes. Poor Tav, that was probably the most exciting part of his morning until we picked brother up!So after we picked Koen up we had a really nice chill time at the house. I made lunch, the boys played in the living room, after lunch it was more playtime in the living room. Sometimes those simplest moments are my favorites: building with blocks, pushing vehicles around and some tickle fests.

Tonight we are off to look at a dog. Did you read that right? Yes, a dog! Not necessarily getting him (obviously there will be a blog post if we get it). This is another residual effect of the break-in about a month ago. We feel a dog might help me feel more secure and could even deter future break-ins, so we've been searching for a good adoption fit. We'll see how tonight goes.

Rainy Day Play-Doh

We definitely need to grow a thicker skin for these stuck-inside-days or the winter will be way too long and dreary! I kept a positive attitude today and tried to keep the boys (namely Koen) busy with different activities we hadn't done in awhile. He and Tavin both enjoyed playing Play-Doh for awhile this morning. Look at Tav's concentration...Koen loves putting the colors together and despite the fact that this goes completely against my Type A nature, I feel like I should let the creativity go (so added note: we'll be needing some fresh containers of Play-Doh at Christmas, we have a lot of smooshy brown and crazy swirl right now).I got creative during our Play-Doh activity. Check out my cool go-kart (this is before Koen revamped it with mixed colors and other creative flair).We managed to get through the morning and early afternoon fine being mostly indoors (we did take a quick trip to the library for about an hour to get some new books). Now what on earth will I do to keep them intrigued until bedtime?

Three Boys for Three Hours Again!

Today we had the pleasure of adding another little buddy to my two little bugs to make a total of three little boys in tow. Huxley hung out with us for the morning while his mom went on a kindergarten tour for her daughter. He was a lot of fun (although I felt bad for him when he was so sad that his mommy left) and a great distraction from the norm for the boys. Koen does so well rising to the occasion when there is another little one around. He becomes quite the superb older brother. Tavin did quite well with his friend around (although he definitely is still learning how to share).

Soon after Huck arrived we headed out to the playground. Today was a quintessential Fall day - gorgeous! So I was dying to get us all outside. When we arriived at the playground (via Koen's bike and the little guys in the wagon together), we found that our neighbors were there playing as well. It was great. Lots of little buddies playing together.Snack break...Huck and Tavin jumping on the bumpy bridge...Tav, Huck and Perry taking a break before going down the slide...Here's the crew on the way home (the playground got inundated with schoolchildren, so we made a quick exit). I have to say Huck looks pretty happy (and Koen looks pretty proud, not sure how to describe Tavin!).The boys played in the living room while I made lunch and then after they ate we headed out to the backyard. The day was really amazing at this point. Koen, Tavin and Huck enjoyed apple slices, construction projects and ball games. The three of them did so well playing in the yard.It was a great morning with Huck. We just love our neighbors and I love that my boys have these sweet little friends to grow up with. We are so blessed! Thanks for playing, Huck!

Tavin & I Meet Little Will!

Today I got to visit my dear friend Bethany who had her first, Will, about 6 weeks ago. This was my first chance to meet him. Tavin and I dropped Koen off at nursery school and then headed over to Bethany's armed with toys for Tav, cozy hand-me-down clothes for Will and a home-cooked meal for Bethany and Walt. Tavin has become my social butterfly buddy while Koen's in nursery school. He always does so well letting me chat with my girlfriends, hold their babies or whatever. It's been a fun Fall catching up with good friends and sharing those outings with my little pal, Tavin. Here he is enjoying some whole grain raspberry muffins Bethany made. He had 3. In the background is his newest buddy whom he refers to as "baby."

And here's adorable little Will! He was so sweet. He let me hold him and it was hilarious because I couldn't believe that he never spit up even though it was right after he had eaten. I told Bethany that I would've never had my kids over the carpet like she did right after feeding them. But Will doesn't spit up at all, it's amazing. He does get super cute hiccups though. I would take that over spit up any day!
Bethany and I had a blast catching up, but the hour and a half or so I had in between dropping off and picking up Koen went too quickly. I'm already looking forward to our next opportunity to chat! Thanks for letting us stop in, Bethany. Will is beautiful!

Urban Pumpkin Patch

Yesterday after naptime we took the boys to the pumpkin patch! Well, an urban pumpkin patch. A beautiful old church in Shadyside sells pumpkins on their front lawn every October. Doug and Koen went last year and this year we all got to go together. Tavin absolutely loved the experience. The pictures say it all!

He liked crawling through the pumpkins, sitting on the pumpkins and carrying the pumpkins.
Koen was on big brother duty picking out a pumpkin for himself as well as keeping an eye out for a good one for little brother.
And another Tavin pictures. He was so happy!
An attempt at a family picture. Not great of Koen, but OK of Tav and I.
Koen found the pie pumpkins and decided it was the perfect place to pick one for Tav. He also says he wants to make a pie out of it. I'm not so sure. He must not understand the effort that goes into that process? I'd much prefer pumpkin from the can!That's all for now. I'm exhausted. Doug's been working practically non-stop since we got back from our weekend away last week and this Mommy has been on overtime. Good night!

Three Boys for Three Hours

Today we had the privilege to watch our neighbor, Xavier, while his mom had somewhere to be this morning. It was a super fun way to spend a Saturday (especially since Doug had to work today anyways). Xavier is an easy-going playmate and is about just between Koen and Tavin's ages, so he plays well with both of them. We played a little bit at the house, but my boys had already been doing that for over an hour (they were having a blast playing in their PJ's in the living room after breakfast), so we headed out to the playground soon after Xav arrived. Xavier rode his scooter, Koen was on his bike and Tav was in the wagon. Yeah, I got this.

Koen and Xavier soon found a little project. They found some sticks and pretended that the mud was paint. They found sticks for paintbrushes.Then they "painted" a nearby tree dark brown with mud. Koen loved it!Tavin and I hung out on the playground while the boys were happy with their painting projects. Look at these cute pics of Tav on the slide!After some more play and riding of vehicles, the boys did a show for me on the little stage there. Pretty cute that Koen got little brother and Xavier going with similar dance and song antics...On the way home, Koen led the way. He was so proud of himself that he made it up this hill.
Xavier was pretty tired, so he rode in the wagon with Tavin, which Tavin really enjoyed.
We got home and Xavier was happy to have a chance to play more with Koen and Tavin's trucks, cars, etc. We played downstairs, then upstairs, then downstairs again while I got their lunch together. Really, there were no problems. It was amazing. Koen really surprised me and actually shared very well with Xav and Tav during this time. He seems to really rise to the occasion when other kids are here. I was very impressed and told him so. The boys all ate a good lunch. I think they were very hungry. Soon after lunchtime Xavier's mom came to get him. I had such a positive report for her and I can wholeheartedly say that we would love to do it again sometime. He was a delight and a fun distraction for my boys from the normal routine!

Quick "Boys Only" Errand with Daddy

Doug has started this new thing with the boys...boys only jobs...no mommies allowed. It's great! I needed something from the store for small group tonight (swiss cheese for the French Onion soup (which was a big hit by the way!)). Doug scooped up the boys and said they were headed out on one of these errands. The boys love it. Koen says, "no mommies allowed" and Tavin turns and says, "bye!" So cute. I got to vacuum, prep dinner, set the table and finish cleaning for small group.

Here they are on their way in...And on the way out...Could they be any cuter!?!?!

Playgroup at the Carnegie Science Center

It's a brisk, windy and rainy day today, so we headed indoors to the Carnegie Science Center for playgroup today. The boys and I haven't been there in awhile, so it was a refreshing change of pace. Tavin definitely enjoyed the experience as he was able to take advantage of a lot more this time. Koen also did quite well since he has become more proficient at some of the activities. He and Tavin both really enjoyed the "ball factory" area on the 4th floor. Tavin was his "assistant" and they worked together so well. They probably spent 30 minutes or more on that project.They also spent time in the water area and then headed to the construction zone. Tavin found a dump truck, so he was happy.
Koen has really improved on his "digger" skills since past visits. I think he and Grampa must have worked on it this summer. He was so proud of himself as he was able to get rubble into the scoop and deposit it elsewhere. I was actually really impressed that he was able to control the levers so well, he really knew what he was doing. Grampa, you would've been so impressed too!There was a turtle out to be touched and watched, so the boys enjoyed that. Tavin really loves animals and so he was very excited to be able to touch it. Koen was very brave. I was proud of him. He's been having a lot of fear (or at least extreme caution) lately, so I was happy he was brave enough to touch the turtle.Koen and Tavin raced solar cars. Of course, Tavin mostly just pushed his, but Koen did well getting the hang of powering the car by using the lights along the track.
Koen wanted to experience an earthquake again, so we set in the booth that shakes together. He looks so weird in this picture, I caught him at an odd moment. I look like earthquakes are the best thing ever and Tav definitely has no idea what's going on.
On the way down to get some lunch Koen stopped in the aquarium area and found a submarine to play with. Tavin, of course, jumped right in to play too. Koen definitely swings from being so helpful and sweet to his little brother to having no patience and is using pushing and shoving from time to time. We are working on it, but I think it's probably just the beginning. Hopefully not, but we'll see. In this picture Tavin was working the lights and big brother butted his way in.
We had lunch with James and Kara in the cafeteria (our buddies Kelli and Colleen had to head home before lunch) and then we headed back to the neighborhood to run an errand at Whole Foods and finally got home around 1pm. The boys played for a little while (actually really, really well) and I got a few more things done before naptime. They both went to sleep hard and I haven't heard a peep yet. Well, gotta run and make French Onion Soup for small group tonight!